Jennifer Rice photo
Members of Laborers’ Local 393 are shown on strike fighting unfair labor practices against Ottawa Pavilion. Working without a contract since July 31, 2012, employees went back to work May 28. They are expected to approve a contract next week.

By Jennifer Rice
Managing Editor
Thursday, May. 30, 2013
     OTTAWA — A day before a massive rally was set for striking laborers employed at Ottawa Pavillion Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Ottawa, its owners reached out to Local 393 leaders and wanted to talk.
     “We had no meeting planned for both sides to meet,” explained Laborers’ Local 393 Business Manager Todd Stehl, “but I had previously reached out to one of the owners and he called back — they wanted to met.”
     That meeting was arranged for May 24. Many things were discussed — including contract talks, getting employes back to work and when to meet again to review the final contact.
     What was agreed was to get employes back to work. Stehl said Tuesday, May 28 was the official first day back to work for employees, which include CNAs, maintenance, housekeeping, laundry and dietary workers.
     Ottawa Pavillion will present the final contract to Local 393 management Tuesday, June 4. “We’re hoping we can immediately bring it back to our members and get it ratified in the following days,” he explained.
     Members of Laborers’ Local 393 had planned a 5-hour rally Saturday, May 25. Various unions from the Illinois Valley Building Trades Council, Illinois Valley Federation of Labor and others were expected to attend the rally. Even though Stehl did his best to get out the word the rally was canceled, not every one heard and Stehl said several supports turned out.
     “We decided to march anyway. I brought everyone up to date on what was going on and how the girls were going back to work,” Stehl said.
     About 70 Local 393 members went on strike Saturday, May 18 protesting unfair labor practices and bad faith bargaining on behalf of Ottawa Pavillion. Employees had been working on an expired contract, which expired July 31, 2012.
     Stehl stressed the union never walked away from the table. “That was never the case,” he said.
     The union members were fighting for a contract that would keep things the same. Ottawa Pavillion wanted to remove uniform allowances and change shift differential pay to a lesser amount.
     Members wanted seniority language included where available hours would be given to senior members — over new hires. “Pretty much, they wanted to stay with what they had and not have anything taken away. I feel it’s a good contract for them,” Stehl said.
     In the end, members were excited to get back to work. “Everybody would rather work than not work. Our members never wanted to go out on strike, but we needed to be firm and let them know we weren’t messing around,” Stehl explained.